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More fun with the Overarm Pin Router today

I have been working on a hand-dovetailed elm box. While it's possible to run through-grooves on the wall pieces, and post-fill the resulting corner gaps, I wanted to have stopped grooves instead. Setting up a jig for stopped grooves isn't something I wanted to fuss with, so I decided to dry-assemble the box and use the Overarm Router to cut grooves all the way around the interior. I could have just relied on the guide-bearing of the undercut-bit, but I decided to bolster that with a same-diameter guide pin on the worktable.

Here's how it's going along, quite well:
Happy woodworking!

Chris

Very nice. I like the idea of doing the groves that way. I probably would have used an up-spiral bit to a set mark, but that is because I already have the bit for that. How easy is it to work with the Elm wood? I have never used it before but have heard that the interlocking grain can be a pain. My son mentioned it as an option for making some furniture for him. I am interested in knowing what I am getting into if it is his choice.

Nice work, and great thread title!

thunderbirdbat wrote:Very nice. I like the idea of doing the groves that way. I probably would have used an up-spiral bit to a set mark, but that is because I already have the bit for that. How easy is it to work with the Elm wood? I have never used it before but have heard that the interlocking grain can be a pain. My son mentioned it as an option for making some furniture for him. I am interested in knowing what I am getting into if it is his choice.

Hello, I have only used red-elm for smallish projects. We do have some purchased, Indiana-made furniture where the red elm used was superb! I don't know their finishing secrets, though.
I'm not a person with experience in grain-fillers, and I think red elm could stand to use some grain filler. For this box coming up, I'm not planning a filler, but I am planning an extra step of "bone burnishing" with something like an antler-tip. This made a big difference in how this well-planed piece of elm looks... burnished part on the left, raw planed part on the right, both waxed equally:
More to follow in a few days!

Chris

Please tell us more about "bone burnishing". It sure made a difference.

Here is one example article... I think not every wood will benefit, but some of my more stubborn pieces of hardwood took nicely to this treatment.

https://eccentrictoolworks.com/2010/05/

Enjoy!
Chris

Many thanks, Chris.

nice. the elm looks a lot like some of the ash I have only the ash is not as dark, nice grain pattern.

To finish off, I made an oak top, with a 1/4" routed groove to hold some nice marquetry. Here it is

Really outstanding work. I tried to cut grooves that way and didn't fare well. Don't remember why. I will try it again soon.

Nice work!